but stands out on local radio with a weekly
cooking show that explains how to use various
meat cuts and how to best prepare them.
Customer friendliness is a hallmark value
at Lake Geneva Country Meats. They actually
refer to their service counter personnel
as "Meat Ambassadors." As their website,
lakegenevacountrymeats.com, details, "just
like diplomatic ambassadors to foreign lands
share knowledge of their home country, our
Meat Ambassadors are here to share their
knowledge about meat with you. They're
so much more than just mere sales clerks,
they're your friendly resource to learn more
about meat."
Vorpagel also devotes a section of the
website and the retail store area to wine and
independent locally brewed beers that pair
well with certain meats and poultry selections
offered at Lake Geneva.
In addition to featuring video recipes on
the website, the company also shows a virtual
meat showcase on screen that lists various
cuts of beef, pork and poultry and identifies
tenderness profiles for each cut, including
an app that viewers can download to their
personal phones.
Lake Geneva has taken its website and
social media customer relations to an even
higher level by offering its customers a Flavor
School program.
"We know customers need help and are
looking for new meal ideas, so we decided to
give them a program where there are meals
available based on the type of cooking and
meal they prefer," Vorpagel says. "We want
to keep things exciting and new in the Flavor
School feature. We don't want to be too
complex or appear to be above the person
looking for help. We just want to give them
simple good food pairings we think they will
like and try to make."
are not willing to offer that individualized
service to that degree."
Lake Geneva's retail area is about 9,000 sq.
ft. and includes locally obtained fresh produce,
a service and deli meat counter, homemade
deli salads, frozen seafood, and plenty of local
bakery products.
Name the meats or specialty products, from
hams, bacons, sausages, beef tongue, snack
sticks or fresh cuts and you'll likely find them
in stock at the shop.
Vorpagel says the family business will likely
continue its growth pattern and last year added
a new smokehouse to the equipment inventory.
"We want to move heavier into dry-cured
sausage since more customers are looking
for it," he notes. "In the fresh sausage area,
we are looking into Korean and North African
flavors. Adding new flavors is an old idea
but one the customer tunes into. We are also
thinking more about developing a meal kit
program and perhaps using local partners to
help bring that about."
"We look for
employees who
are personable,
friendly and
out-going and
will actually
listen to the
concerns of
customers."
- NICK VORPAGEL
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"Most of these meals were developed in-house,
but we are also pleased to share ideas we get
from the beef or pork groups as well.," Vorpagel
says. "Maybe this concept is a step to keep
Amazon away because we offer something more
personal than just a commodity. If I get a meat
question I'll try to answer it in minutes on the
internet or Facebook, unless it's late at night.
I'm guessing that many of those large companies
We are the oldest, largest, and most professional.
Established in 1957 - Over 100 years staff experience.
JAMES V. HURSON ASSOC., INC.
200 N. Glebe Rd. Ste. 321 - Arlington, VA 22203
J
Ph: (703) 524-8200 FAX: (703) 525-8451
V FOR FAST ANSWERS TO ANY QUESTIONS PHONE
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TOLL FREE 1-800-642-6564
Visit our website: www.hurson.com
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